Located snug in the corner of a strip mall in Leominster, Slate Bar & Grille is elevated from the parking area by a neat stone wall. At the top of a short ramp, customers encounter a patio featuring outdoor dining warmed by the afternoon sunshine.

The entry is divided into informal areas opening to a main dining room separated from the lounge by a freestanding wall. The décor tends toward Martha Stewart country, with portraits of ruminating cows and plenty of upscale crafty touches.

Harley, our server, brought menus and ran through the list of draft beers and then left us for a few minutes so we could make our dining decisions. This gave me some time to explore the menu and get a sense of Slate’s cuisine. And that’s an interesting subject; with a narrative that mentions “healthy lifestyles,” “sustainable, locally sourced ingredients” and “sensitive” menu options, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but certainly I was intrigued.

Slate’s Charcuterie Slate stood poised to satisfy the “locally sourced” promise by including Great Hill Bleu Cheese and Crystal Brook Goat Cheese. From there, the list of tidbits included in this ambitious assemblage rambled on.

Then, I came to Sorry Sammy Not Your Fried Rice, an entrée that contained a lengthy list of vegetables and “proteins tossed with amino acids and scrambled egg whites.” Stop right there! Amino acid supplements are usually associated with body-building nutrition. While I am not a body builder, I have added protein supplements to my diet that promise to “accelerate muscle protein synthesis and absorption of amino acids for efficient use of muscles.” Yeah, it sounds cultish, but they actually seem to work.

Intrigued, I asked Harley to explain Sorry Sammy. Not familiar with this menu item, she went back to the kitchen for the backstory. When she returned, the answer was simple. In this context, amino acids equal organic soy sauce. I’m surprised I was the first to ask about this.
Lest I give the impression that Slate is all about sacrificing dining happiness for serious nutritional health, I should be quick to add that there are plenty of other items, some designed to satisfy cholesterol seekers. We started with a very basic appetizer, Quesadilla, one of the specials that day. Three wedges of a dinner plate-sized flour tortilla filled with a thin mixture of white and orange shredded cheeses had been grilled till crispy on the outside and stretchy-cheesy on the inside. The dish came with mini scoops of toppings – guacamole, sour cream and salsa – attractively served in a fluted bowl formed from a fried corn tortilla

I enjoyed my appetizer with a snifter of IPA from the Greater Good Imperial Brew Company, a local brewery that’s quickly becoming a favorite. This was just one of a blackboard-load of craft brew offerings.

From there, I veered toward healthy Nantucket Scallops. This entrée featured a half-dozen large scallops – juicy and pan-seared with cherry tomatoes and bits of bacon – topped with a tracery of melted provolone cheese. They came nestled up to a leafy-green Caesar salad of crunchy romaine with a scattering of croutons, all topped with shavings of Pecorino Romano and a rich dressing. Very healthy! And an interesting concept – gang the entrée with a huge salad on one plate.

Slate is also capable of New England traditions. My friend chose a classic, one of the day’s specials, the Fried Clam Platter. Not in the slightest bit greasy, crisp and fresh-tasting, these large whole-bellied clams came served with onion strings that he raved about, plus French-fried potatoes and creamy coleslaw.

As further proof to those who might be wary of the promise of “gluten-free/sensitive” cuisine, take, for example, the Slate Burger. This coronary assault was a dining cult item a decade ago – one pound of ground beef patties slammed into a bun with crunchy bacon and slathered with creamy “secret” sauce, then sandwiched between two buttery grilled cheese sandwiches. It arrives at the table harpooned in one towering vertical stack. Guys at the adjacent table had ordered a couple of them and then stood back to admire and show them off to us before “diving in.”

Inspired by these Gargantua appetites, we decided to order dessert and shared Slate’s Molten Chocolate Cake. Profoundly black with chocolatey richness, it came on a dish dusted with cocoa powder and drizzled with sweet syrup. It was gooey and warm and righteously chocolate. Soon after Harley served it, she returned to check on us. We’d already demolished it.

I don’t often get to sample Leominster’s dining scene. But, as usual, the North County has revealed another worthy restaurant. Slate Bar & Grill is not that far away from Worcester and well worth the trip. Get up there and meet some of the locals; they’re very friendly.

Slate Bar & Grill
899 Central Street, Leominster
(978) 537-7775
slatebarandgrille.com

Bernie Whitmore